GdeB 2, 2 revised or 3... Fire tablesAs I hinted earlier in the GdeB3 thread I have been working on the fire tables to think through some of the issues.
I have put most of the work done so far into a Powerpoint file which can be accessed via
www.alsbury.co.uk/GdeB/
This file may help highlight some issues with the present tables, especially for artillery, and the proposed alternative musketry tables.
I hope that putting the analysis in visual form will help make sense of what is a quite a lot of tables and calculations of probabilities and outcomes.
PS I have also included at the end of the analysis a suggestion of one possible alternative to fire tables - dice throws with 2d6 and a varying number of average dice.
Comments welcome... I do realise that such ideas will not suit all players!
I think everyone knows my thoughts on half casualties and constantly looking uo tables.
I'm still not sure of your dice idea though.
Can you give us a few examples ?
for example:-
Lets say I have 24 figures firing at close range but fired last turn at a unit in column. What do I do ?
I think everyone knows my thoughts on half casualties and constantly looking uo tables.
I'm still not sure of your dice idea though.
Can you give us a few examples ?
for example:-
Lets say I have 24 figures firing at close range but fired last turn at a unit in column. What do I do ?
With infantry firing it works like this:
The modifiers work out as usual...
-2 for fired last turn,
+1 for target in column
so a net modifier of -1
Effectively in this method the number firing also affects the modifier
The number firing is 24 ...
17 figures firing at 0 modifier just get the 2d6
- for 7 figures extra you get 2 a6
which is reduced by one because of the modifier.
So you throw 2d6 and one average dice.
Throws of 4 or more are hits.
Double one and double six apply as usual because you are only using 2d6.
It is when the number of average dice, allowing for number firing and modifiers, would be negative that it takes a bit of initial understanding.
In effect it raises the score needed to hit to 5 and then 6.
So for example the front rank (4 figures) of a column of elite troops, based in single ranks, fires at a charging cavalry unit:
The usual modifiers are..
Elite +1, target are charging cavalry -2
So net modifier -1
With just 4 figures firing
17 figures would be 0 average dice at 0 modifier
10 figures would be -2 average dice
3 figures comes to -4 average dice
Net results of -1,-2 put the score to hit up to 5
Net results of -3,-4 put the score up to 6
But this gives net of -5
So no casualties possible at all=
Only double 6 or double 1 effects could apply
Or by way of contrast:
A line of British Guards (32 figures) open fire
on a column of advancing enemy
Modifiers...
for Guards +2
for British in Line +1
for target in column +1
which comes to a usual modifier of +4
for number of figures ( 32 = 17 + 7 + 7 + 1)
we add on 4 average dice
making 8 in all
Overall the throw is of 2d6 and 8 average dice...
I hope these examples help.
Update to informationFollowing a request to look at the fire tables as they need to be adapted for those who game at 1:30 rather than 1:20 figure ratios I have updated the information at
www.alsbury.co.uk/GdeB/ with a pdf file covering this option.
It is the artillery table that has to change and not the infantry one.
The new file also shifts from mixing d6 and a6 to simply using two d6 of one colour and any other sof different colour - probably easier for gameplay.
Thanks for this suggestion, Mike.
please no no no. Why change what works. I can see if you are trying to fight a huge battle tables would be a problem, but the rules as I read them were never meant for that which is why I love them. ie down and dirty not sitting on the hill watching corps meander around. My thoughts which of course feel free to ignore. :x